Build a better bonfire night with these awesome Bonfire Night ideas.
Every year, on the 5th November, we gather for a festive night of fireworks and sparklers. The young, old and the young at heart love the excitement and colour of fireworks, the smell of the bonfire and the sizzle of sausages and sparklers. So rather than just picking up a box of rockets from the supermarket, why not get your friends and family together and make a proper night of it?
Bonfire Night Ideas
Get a variety of fireworks
Today’s firework companies produce a huge variety of fireworks. From cakes to mines, candles and rockets, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to fireworks. When choosing the fireworks for your display, make sure you get a bit of everything.
“Cakes” look, delightfully, like big cakes. Also known as barrages or ignition boxes, they’re essentially a whole load of Roman Candles strapped together. Just light one fuse and set off over a dozen fireworks!
“Mines” are similar, but tend to have a shorter effect – where cakes or candles explode a bit at a time, mines just all go off at once. They’re spectacular but short-lived.
Rockets need little by way of explanation. They go up and go bang! But today, you can choose what sort of bang you want. Silver fish, glitters, peonies, spiders, brocades, crossettes, comets, willows, strobes or chrysanthemums – all of them produce a different, but spectacular effect.
“Fountains”, are low to the ground affairs that send lovely plumes of stars up into the air. Whilst Catherine wheels, which are nailed to a post (not your shed!). Once ignited, whizz around, shooting out furious sparks.
Theme your food
Get creative with your food and snacks. Whether it’s bangers, firecracker chicken, or bonfire cupcakes, it’s easy to mix and match your snack options to be properly on theme. If you’re serving food outside, make sure you’ve got an umbrella or gazebo handy in case of rain!
Why not roast some chestnuts? Chestnuts can be found in abundance throughout the autumn season and are a time-honoured autumn-holiday custom. Roasting them couldn’t be easier. Just use a small, sharp knife to cut a cross into the skin of each chestnut. Toss them in a roasting tin and into the oven (preheated to 200c) and bake for around 30 minutes, until the skins open and the insides are tender. For real authenticity you can serve them in paper bags.
It’s also not too early for mulled wine!
Keep guests toasty
In order to best enjoy Bonfire Night, you need to be outside, but still snuggly and warm. Grab every throw rug and cosy blanket in your house and have them on hand to wrap up your guests. Blankets are great because they fit everyone, unlike spare coats, and add an extra cosy feel to the proceedings.
Bonfire Night Safety
When you’re dealing with fireworks, the golden rule is SAFETY FIRST! So remember these top tips:
Keep your distance
Have one designated fireworks launcher and keep everyone else well back from the fireworks. Not only does this give you the best view of every bang, it keeps you out the way in the event of a mishap.
Have a bucket on standby
If you’re using sparklers, fill a bucket with water or sand to safety extinguish them when you’re done. Make sure kids are supervised when using them and make sure you use them responsibly.
Keep warm
When you’re having such a good time outside, it can be easy to forget about the weather. Make sure you wrap up warm and protect your extremities with hats, gloves and ear muffs.
Protect your hands and eyes
As fun as fireworks are, they are dangerous. It can be easy to receive burns to your hands or eyes when handling them. While your eyes have a natural defence in your blink reflex, fireworks can travel up to 150mph – faster than your reactions can handle.
Keep your pets indoors
Animals don’t like fireworks like we do. The bangs and flashes can stress out your pets, so keep them indoors. This also keeps them from being hit by any stray rockets or sparks.
